Christmas Quiz 2017

When Gran was alive, during our family gatherings we used to play Christmas games. Gran particularly loved general knowledge quizzes, but with 5 generations ranging from the late nineties down to a three year old, it posed something of a challenge. So each year I devised multiple choice questions and everyone played in pairs, which gave even the youngest a chance of answering correctly. Gran is no longer with us, but if you happen to gather in a multi-generational mash-up to celebrate Christmas perhaps this will pass some time between opening presents and tucking into the seasonal feast.

1. What is another name for the alligator pear?
a) Kumquat b) Avocado
c) Boysenberry d) Pineapple

2. What did Marylebone, Ranleigh and Vauxhall have in common in the 18th century?
a) All were land owned by aristocratic families
b) All had churches on them
c) All were pleasure gardens
d) All were sites of gibbets for public hangings

3. Who taught Alice to dance the Lobster Quadrille?
a) The Lobster b) The Walrus
c) The Carpenter d) The Mock Turtle

4. Die/dice, man/men are examples of irregular plurals in English. Just how many of them are there?
a) 7 b) 10
c) 13 d) 18

5. Who is the heir apparent to the British throne?
a) Prince William b) Prince Andrew
c) Prince Charles c) Princess Anne

6. On which day did God make the sun, the moon and the stars?
a) The second day b) The third day
c) The fourth day d) The fifth day

8. What is blennophobia?
a) Fear of the colour white b) Fear of slime
c) Fear of ice d) Fear of silence

9. Quarantine is isolation because of sickness. What else can it be?
a) A forty-day study sabbatical available to university dons
b) A small island in the Pacific, named by James Cooke
c) The name of the flag, warning of infection aboard, flown by the Royal Navy
d) A sort of red apple

18. How did the tank get its name?
a) When Lord Kitchener described it as looking “like a damnable tank.”
b) It is acronym for Terrestrial Automotive Navigable Kinesthesmobile
c) For security reasons they were sent to France in crates labelled WATER TANKS
d) It was a nickname coined by the troops that stuck

19. What is the value of the gold spot in the centre of an archery target?
a) 5 b) 9
c) 10 d) 25

20. What is added to gin and vermouth to make a drink called a Gibson?
a) Strawberry b) Orange
c) Onion d) Cucumber

ANSWERS

1. What is another name for the alligator pear?
a) Kumquat b) Avocado
c) Boysenberry d) Pineapple

2. What did Marylebone, Ranleigh and Vauxhall have in common in the 18th century?
a) All were land owned by aristocratic families
b) All had churches on themc) All were pleasure gardens
d) All were sites of gibbets for public hangings

3. Who taught Alice to dance the Lobster Quadrille?
a) The Lobster b) The Walrus
c) The Carpenter d) The Mock Turtle

4. Die/dice, man/men are examples of irregular plurals in English. Just how many of them are there?
a) 7 b) 10c) 13 d) 18

5. Who is the heir apparent to the British throne?
a) Prince William b) Prince Andrewc) Prince Charles d) Princess Anne

6. On which day did God make the sun, the moon and the stars?
a) The second day b) The third dayc) The fourth day d) The fifth day

8. What is blennophobia?
a) Fear of the colour white b) Fear of slime
c) Fear of ice d) Fear of silence

9. Quarantine is isolation because of sickness. What else can it be?
a) A forty-day study sabbatical available to university dons
b) A small island in the Pacific, named by James Cooke
c) The name of the flag, warning of infection aboard, flown by the Royal Navyd) A sort of red apple

18. How did the tank get its name?
a. When Lord Kitchener described it as looking “like a damnable tank.”
b. It is acronym for Terrestrial Automotive Navigable Kinesthesmobilec. For security reasons they were sent to France in crates labelled WATER TANKS
d. It was a nickname coined by the troops that stuck

19. What is the value of the gold spot in the centre of an archery target?
a) 5 b) 9
c) 10 d) 25

20. What is added to gin and vermouth to make a drink called a Gibson?
a) Strawberry b) Orangec) Onion d) Cucumber

Happy Christmas, Sarah. I might use this quiz over Christmas. My husband’s family have a tradition of Christmas quizzes but we haven’t prepared anything this year as it’s more his sister’s thing and she’s spending Christmas elsewhere.

Thank you, Inessa. Yes, we had a lovely time – if rather quiet. I’m glad you managed a few lucky guesses – that was what used to happen most of the time… I fervently hope that 2018 is a healthy, successful year for you, too and many thanks for your kind good wishes:)).

Yes, it was lovely. Quite peaceful and hilarious when Himself, my sister and my son all sat down together to play ‘Game of Thrones’ monopoly on Christmas Day afternoon… WINTER (and bankruptsy) IS COMING!

lol… I was reminding my son of how he used to get when he lost at monopoly. Though there was no risk of that happening as he wiped the floor with the rest of us – and he’s now 31 so he’s grown out of that stage…

Yes, it’s a beast, isn’t it? The reason is that we have some REALLY clever clogs in the family – and I wanted the children to have as much chance as answering the questions as said clever clogs. We generally play in pairs and it tends to be guesswork – which makes it more fun, I hope…

Maybe next time you should include some question about, I don’t know, Dora the Explorer, or one of the kids books you read with your grandchildren. That should give the clever clogs a pause and let the children shine! 😉
Agreed on the guesswork – my replies were mostly guesswork too.

I could, couldn’t I? Sadly, we don’t do these quizzes anymore – the family have now got to a stage where all four generations don’t regularly get together over Christmas anymore – they are all too far away. But it was lovely while it lasted…